(Ardea novaehollandiae)
Length: 70 cm Common
The White-faced Heron is mostly light blue-grey in colour, with a characteristic white face. It has a long, slim neck and a pointed grey-black bill. The legs are long and dull yellow in colour. Sexes are similar. The Whitefaced Heron has a slow bouncing flight. They are the most commonly seen herons in Australia. They can be found anywhere where there is water, from tidal mudflats and coastal reefs to moist grasslands and gardens.
The White-faced Heron feeds on a wide variety of prey, including fish, insects and amphibians. Food is obtained in a variety of ways, such as walking and disturbing prey, searching among damp crevices or simply standing in the water and watching for movement.
White-faced Herons may breed outside the breeding season in response to rainfall. Both sexes share the building of the nest, incubation of the eggs and care of the young. The nest is an untidy structure of sticks, placed in a tree.
